If there is an option for unscored VCE couldn't everyone who wants to scrap the ATAR just do an unscored VCE?
That's my thought process, but maybe people think if everyone does 'unscored' then everyone has equal chance to go to uni? It baffles me, because even if the entire state goes shit SOMEONE has to get the 99.95's and 99's etc
I do agree with this here! If people want to not get the ATAR, they can always do it unscored anyway.
The one thing the ATAR does well in comparison to other alternatives is that it lets you pick pretty much any subject (excluding the English prerequisite which makes sense). Compared to the IB, where you have to pick 3HLs/3SLs and in certain subject areas, at least people doing the ATAR can choose a certain area (e.g. maths/science-based or art-based subjects. They are not confined like IB).
That doesn't follow. One might dislike ATARs but want to do a course that requires a minimum ATAR for entry.
I don't have any evidence, but my hunch would be that there's very little variation from year to year in the academic ability of the 99.xx cohort. But you're right, the fact that ATAR is a ranking rather than a more direct measure of academic achievement is a significant problem.
There's also no reason to believe that removing ATARs would undermine the integrity of university admissions. Just require minimum standards of performance on prerequisite subjects - where "minimum standard" is not measured by study scores but by raw scores on exams.
I like a few points in this! Universities do have their own standards themselves and I feel like even if we did get rid of the ATAR system, having something like 'entrance exams' would pretty much be exactly the same as the ATAR to begin with, maybe even worse. It's like saying for some courses you need a "Study score of 25 in Methods", however, if we did get rid of the ATAR system, to begin with, and let's say look at the exams, they probably would raise the cut-off mark to be much higher than it is now (not all unis can accommodate everyone. Kinda like inflation if that makes sense?).
The ATAR gives you a chance to show your potential in not just prerequisites but also subjects you are passionate about. It gives you options to study a wide range of subjects that you are good at in order to get a good score. It does have its flaws here but overall, it gives you a chance to do well so long as you pick what you are good at.
Speaking of flaws, I would love to see something happen to VCE folio subjects which maybe go through an 'interview' stage, similar to Language orals exams rather than being assessed by one person. It would mean that folio scores would not have to be moderated by the end-of-year exam and that someone can get the score they truly deserve for their efforts. (Went a bit side track there).